NEWS STORY : Angela Rayner Appointed as Shadow Levelling Up Secretary as Starmer Reshuffles His Team

STORY

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, will now also take on the role of Shadow Levelling Up Secretary, replacing Lisa Nandy who will now shadow International Development. Liz Kendall becomes the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary with Jonathan Ashworth, the previous holder of the role,  becoming the Shadow Paymaster General. Thangam Debbonaire becomes the new Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, swapping roles with Lucy Powell, who becomes the Shadow Leader of the House. Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, retired on health reasons and is replaced by Steve Reed.

Hilary Benn rejoins the Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, replacing Peter Kyle, who becomes the Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. Darren Jones becomes the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Shabana Mahmood becomes the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice. Sources close to Keir Starmer, the Labour Leader, have suggested that this will form the team that he intends to maintain in their roles until the General Election.